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Previously, numerous Ebola vaccine candidates had been developed in the decade prior to 2014, but none has yet been approved for clinical use in humans.

Ebola vaccine released by Novavax Inc, assisted in demonstrating healthy people develop an immune response– against the lethal virus–in an early experiment, involving 230 healthy Australian adults.

In a randomized study, when differentiated with a placebo, the vaccine basically boosted participants’ immune systems to proliferate antibodies to combat Ebola, when put together with a supplement to increase production of the proteins, as stated by, Novavax’s Head of Research, Greg Glenn.

“,We have a very, very robust immune response,” Glenn said over the phone. Monkeys who displayed similar response to the vaccine “were completely protected” from Ebola. In March, Novavax launched a study about the end results of the vaccine on primates.

Ebola emerged in West Africa beginning in early 2014, devastating the country and resulting in over 11,000 human deaths. While the disease has diminished acutely, stubborn pockets are still lingering , with reports of 30 new confirmed cases in the week ended July 12. Numerous vaccines are being tested in humans from companies like GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co. and NewLink Genetics.

Novavax study has also discovered that its vaccine was pretty safe and ‘well tolerated’ said Glenn, with minor side effects including headaches.

Novavax’s headquarters are located in Gaithersburg, and is also working towards developing vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and Influenza, as stated by its website.